(IC) Lost in Dreams (Julian)

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

The food is wonderful. Perhaps they know how to cook better in the 35th century. Perhaps he's been living off of under-seasoned rice. Perhaps he's just hungry.

Probably all three.

Was half expecting another food network segment

Originally Posted by ericthered

We have lots of records on the Carribean, Britain... and even on the british carribean. Just no records of a Port Royale, Rattan.

"Well, that is, I mean, um..."

Originally Posted by ericthered

"Actually, we try to. The concordance records the genetics of all its members, and encourages its partner worlds to do so. Its a basic health measurement. Your family must be really isolated to be this divergent.

"I can't say; I never knew my parents."

Originally Posted by ericthered

You... were naturally conceived, yes?"

"Well, I obviously wasn't there to take notes, but I doubt I was conceived by IVF."

Originally Posted by ericthered

There are books of all sorts and toys for very small children.

I guess if this is the all ages children's waiting room, the older kids would have some kind of smart device to tool around with.

Originally Posted by ericthered

He's poking around various corners when he hears something like a scream... no, its all in his head. A mental scream, not an audible one.

I'll be making a will roll.

[136] 23-03-22 23:39:54 CET
Will
3d6 <= 11
6 + 3 + 4 = 13 ... failure

On a success:
I look around the room. What could have done that? Maybe it could be somewhere hidden... Maybe it's related to the voice from earlier?

On a failure:
I speak aloud, "What's wrong? Where are you?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

OCC: Huh? Hospital food has a bad reputation? since when? since where? My Wife stayed in the hospital just before covid hit, and they had good food.

Well after some cursory research it seems like Hospital food has a bit more of a mixed reputation, most which relate to how institutional food works (i.e. large corporations cheaply producing premade meals at scale). It seems to be changing recently as food quality relates to nutrition, which makes cheap meals a health issue...

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

"Well, that is, I mean, um..."

You're the one who chose to be from an alternate version of earth! proper earth histories are mildly privileged around here!

"I can't say; I never knew my parents."

"Well, I obviously wasn't there to take notes, but I doubt I was conceived by IVF."

"But you don't know? IVF. Let me look that up. Oh. You ARE from an old fashioned world. Hmmm. Who raised you?"

I guess if this is the all ages children's waiting room, the older kids would have some kind of smart device to tool around with.

Probably chained to the wall by its cord. Ok, you find one of those.

I speak aloud, "What's wrong? Where are you?"

The scream only lasts about three seconds.

The others in the waiting area look at Julian, but no one answers.

OCC: Perhaps he should get his head checked.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

You're the one who chose to be from an alternate version of earth! proper earth histories are mildly privileged around here!

Hey, don't blame Julian for the extra confusion I asked for.

Originally Posted by ericthered

"But you don't know? IVF. Let me look that up. Oh. You ARE from an old fashioned world. Hmmm. Who raised you?"

"I had carers. I grew up in an orphanage. There were lots of children there."

Originally Posted by ericthered

Probably chained to the wall by its cord. Ok, you find one of those.

I figured the older children would have it on their person, thus there's no need to provide them anything, where as little kids probably wouldn't. But given that it's here...

I try to figure this thing out, and search, "Hearing things no one else hears" and "How are mental illnesses diagnosed". Maybe it's more physical in the future, and saying crazy things won't get me declared insane...

Originally Posted by ericthered

The scream only lasts about three seconds. The others in the waiting area look at Julian, but no one answers.

OCC: Perhaps he should get his head checked.

I try to play it off.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

"I had carers. I grew up in an orphanage. There were lots of children there."

"Interesting." He notes something down. As he leaves, he gives Julian a card with Julian's face on it. "This is your ID card. Its a temporary identity, keyed to your records."

I try to figure this thing out, and search, "Hearing things no one else hears" and "How are mental illnesses diagnosed". Maybe it's more physical in the future, and saying crazy things won't get me declared insane...

The screen seems to be locked to only give things designed for younger children... but its full of medical explanations. Mental illness is very much more physical here, especially when it comes to hallucinations. Most people who report hallucinations that can't be detected are considered to be making things up. There is a small note about Starpus:


"Starpus do speak to Astropics by voices only other Astropics can hear. However, other Astropics will all hear the same voices, and Astropic brain development is well understood and tested for. Astropics find out their indentity via medical tests, not by hearing the Starpus."

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

"Interesting." He notes something down. As he leaves, he gives Julian a card with Julian's face on it. "This is your ID card. Its a temporary identity, keyed to your records."

Temporary... Sounds about the same as I feel today.

I have an odd feeling that like the orbital colony executive from Peter's story, the advocate's probably leaning towards thinking Julian's some kind of bioroid too. Possibly more so given the lack of of memories relating to a normal family life.

Originally Posted by ericthered

The screen seems to be locked to only give things designed for younger children... but its full of medical explanations. Mental illness is very much more physical here, especially when it comes to hallucinations. Most people who report hallucinations that can't be detected are considered to be making things up.

I guess people still are people and make things up to feel special in any century.

Originally Posted by ericthered

There is a small note about Starpus:

"Starpus do speak to Astropics by voices only other Astropics can hear. However, other Astropics will all hear the same voices, and Astropic brain development is well understood and tested for. Astropics find out their identity via medical tests, not by hearing the Starpus."

I pause after reading it... Maybe this is related to being Vasic? I did wake up amongst a bunch of Starpus... I suppose there's nothing to worry about if it's notable enough to be written on the web. Can I look up anything about Astropics? Sticking out has always worked out so well for me before. Maybe I was already tested and it's out of my hands. Can I find out any details about the Astropic test? Did I take it by chance?

Or maybe experiencing falling to his death messed Julian up and he's about to be given the treatment he needs.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

I have an odd feeling that like the orbital colony executive from Peter's story, the advocate's probably leaning towards thinking Julian's some kind of bioroid too. Possibly more so given the lack of of memories relating to a normal family life.

Yeah, its an interesting parallel response. They're very different people and if you put them in a room together they'd try to remove each other from society permanently, but they have certain similarities in what they think they're dealing with. I'd love to say more, but... that would involve telling secrets about multiple active storylines.

I pause after reading it... Maybe this is related to being Vasic? I did wake up amongst a bunch of Starpus... I suppose there's nothing to worry about if it's notable enough to be written on the web. Can I look up anything about Astropics? Sticking out has always worked out so well for me before. Maybe I was already tested and it's out of my hands. Can I find out any details about the Astropic test? Did I take it by chance?

Looking up the details...

• Astropics can communicate with Starpus mentally
• Astropics are from the concordance, and around 70% of them work with the concordance or associated shipping
• The test is genetic: a specific association of genes is involved, and is done when you are born, or when your genetic records are processed by the concordance.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Yeah, its an interesting parallel response. They're very different people and if you put them in a room together they'd try to remove each other from society permanently,

My imagination jumped to them in a brawl, but I can't say that they seem like the type to go all mano-a-mano.

Originally Posted by ericthered

but they have certain similarities in what they think they're dealing with. I'd love to say more, but... that would involve telling secrets about multiple active storylines.

All in good time.

Originally Posted by ericthered

• Astropics can communicate with Starpus mentally
• Astropics are from the concordance, and around 70% of them work with the concordance or associated shipping
• The test is genetic: a specific association of genes is involved, and is done when you are born, or when your genetic records are processed by the concordance.

I furrow my brow on the last one. I wonder if that's related to the genetic abnormalities that they mentioned earlier... Or if the genetic abnormalities messed up their test. I check if they tell people if the test comes back positive.

I guess if they didn't say it's probably because it came back negative. I can't imagine that they'd believe me if I said that I was hearing Starpus voices without a test result anyway.

I browse away to something else or close the window entirely, and go find somewhere to sit. I randomly decide to try and reach my thoughts outward. Who screamed?

I feel entirely stupid, add more to my diary, and draw. I decide to draw the crab I saw earlier.

[137] 23-03-30 01:16:34 CEST
Artist (Drawing)

3d6 <= 11
3 + 5 + 4 = 12 ... failure

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

I browse away to something else or close the window entirely, and go find somewhere to sit. I randomly decide to try and reach my thoughts outward. Who screamed?

There is no response.

I feel entirely stupid, add more to my diary, and draw. I decide to draw the crab I saw earlier.

Julian just can't get the shapes and proportions just right... maybe if he saw another one of them, his memory is fuzzy. What did those mouthparts look like? certainly not that...


Three men walk into the room. Two of them are wearing uniforms of some sort. The third looks at Julian. "We're here to pick you up. I'm Mr. Orgel. Lets get you some food and clothing."

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

There is no response.

Yup, entirely stupid.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Julian just can't get the shapes and proportions just right... maybe if he saw another one of them, his memory is fuzzy. What did those mouthparts look like? certainly not that...

Oh well.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Three men walk into the room. Two of them are wearing uniforms of some sort. The third looks at Julian. "We're here to pick you up.

Well this seems like a great deal of effort for one kid. "Don't you think you're taking 'it takes a village to raise a child' a bit too literally here?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

I'm Mr. Orgel.

I assume that has a hard g or Julian asks what the alternative to gel is here.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Lets get you some food and clothing."

"Sure, let's go."

As I follow along, I ask who the other two men are.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

Well this seems like a great deal of effort for one kid. "Don't you think you're taking 'it takes a village to raise a child' a bit too literally here?"

Mr. Orgel: "They're just here to keep you and me honest and make sure we leave the station. They'll even pay for our pod."

I assume that has a hard g or Julian asks what the alternative to gel is here.

Quirk: Makes fun of names

"Sure, let's go."

The three of them make their way through the station a bit more, getting on another tram, and finally come to a lobby somewhat reminiscent of an airport, except its dirty and worn. The windows don't show a tarmac* outside though: they show a canvas of stars, with a surprising number of painted white space stations in view. Most people aren't looking out the window. They're looking at doors and schedules for departures.



*has Julian ever actually been to an airport?